Many articles of wear benefit from traction elements. Such articles of wear usually come into contact with a surface or another item and benefit from the increased friction and stability provided by the traction elements. Many people wear footwear, apparel, athletic and protective gear and expect these articles of wear to provide traction and stability during use. For example, articles of footwear may include traction elements that are attached to the ground contacting surface of a sole structure. The traction elements may provide gripping characteristics that help create supportive and secure contact between the wearer's foot and the ground.
Most traction elements are attached to the ground contacting surface of an article of wear. Such traction elements are often rigid and provide a single type and quantity of traction. These traction elements do not respond to the evolving needs of the user nor do they respond to the inherent physiological differences between users. These traction elements may tend to wear unevenly and frequently need to be repaired and/or replaced, which can be expensive and time-consuming.
Some traction elements may be detachable and an article of wear may be capable of receiving several different types, sizes, and characteristics of traction elements (e.g., track spikes may be detachable from the article of footwear and replaceable with longer spikes, e.g., for use on different surfaces and/or different weather conditions). However, removing a first type of traction element and attaching a second type of traction element is time-consuming and inconvenient. Many wearers cannot afford the time that it takes to replace traction elements during use and/or the costs associated with replacing the traction elements. Additionally, many wearers need traction elements that can respond to the motion of the article of wear during use.
For example, the traction elements attached to an article of footwear may not be able to respond to the typical motion that a wearer's foot may undergo during use. An athlete may wish to stop abruptly, turn, pivot, rock onto the medial or lateral edges of the foot and thus the athlete would benefit from traction elements that dynamically respond to the motion. Further, the athlete may also wish to have traction reduced during normal activity, such as running, walking, or standing, e.g., in order to avoid excessive wear of the traction elements and/or damage to a surface. Most of the traction elements currently available are unable to provide the varying amounts of traction during various activities without requiring manual detachment and reattachment of the traction elements.
Therefore, while some traction elements are currently available, there is room for improvement in this art. For example, an article of wear having traction elements that may be selectively retractable, depending on the force applied to the article of wear, while remaining comfortable and flexible for the user would be a desirable advancement in the art. Additionally, traction elements that protect against wear and that selectively retract and extend in response to a force would also be welcomed in the art.